Latest news with #UPSCCSE2024
India.com
6 days ago
- General
- India.com
Meet woman, a 40-year-old mother of two, cracked UPSC CSE to become IAS with AIR..., she is now...
IAS NIsa Unniranjan (File) IAS Nisa Unniranjan Success Story: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest recruitment tests in the country and each year there are dozens of inspirational stories of successful aspirants who scratched and clawed their way to crack the formidable exam and realised dream of becoming an IAS officer. However, the heartwarming success story of IAS Nisa Unnirajan is truly unique as she cleared the UPSC CSE at the age of 40, while taking care of her two young daughters, as well as managing her job and her home. Let us find out more about her inspiring journey. Who is IAS Nisa Unnirajan? A resident of Kerala, Nisa Unnirajan decided to take a crack at the UPSC examination at 35, which is rare as most unsuccessful aspirants bid adieu to UPSC dreams after the age of 30. But Nisa's path was far towards success anything but rosy as she had manage her household responsibilities, job, and take care of her two daughters Nandana (11), and Thanvi (7). However, the brave woman did not lose hope, and diligently managed all aspects of her daily life. She would prepare her children for school in the morning, take care of the house, work her day job, and later engross herself in preparation for UPSC at night. Nisa's husband, Arun, a software engineer by profession, and her in-laws, stood behind her like a rock and encouraged her to pursue her dreams. 'My husband and in-laws supported me at every step. This would not have been possible without them,' she says. How Nisa Unnirajan cracked UPSC? Apart from her daily responsibilities, Nisa Unniranjan suffered from a debilitating health condition, a serious hearing issue, which she turned into her strength. In an interview, Nisa revealed that she was inspired by Kottayam's sub-collector Ranjit, who overcame a similar condition to become an IAS officer. Nisa Unniranjan attended coaching classes in Thiruvananthapuram, but it was her unique strategy that ultimately led to success. Detailing her UPSC preparation strategy, Nisa revealed that she used to read success stories about UPSC toppers and watch their motivational videos on YouTube. Additionally, she divided syllabus topics into smaller parts to minutely study them in detail, and made notes which helped quickly revise any given topic she previously studied. Ultimately, Nisa Unniranjan's perseverance and dedication paid off when she cracked the UPSC CSE 2024 in her seventh attempt with a respectable All India Rank (AIR) of 1000. She was 40 at the time. Currently, IAS Nisa Unnirajan is posted as the Assistant Audit Officer at the Principal Accountant General's office in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
50% of Bengal's UPSC final candidates hail from government-run study centre
The West Bengal government-run Satyendra Nath Tagore Civil Services Study Centre (SNTCSSC) has helped multiple State students crack the top civil service exams in 2024. The candidates were felicitated by the study centre on Friday (May 30, 2025) after the lists were published in May 2025. 50% of the candidates who have cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination from West Bengal hail from this centre. The government-run study centre candidates who have made it to the final list are Meghna Chakravorty, Sahars Kumar, Paramita Malakar, Rajdeep Ghosh, and Praveen Kumar. 'We are also happy to share that 54 students of SNTCSSC had cleared UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims. 17 candidates from SNTCSSC had appeared for the UPSC CSE 2024 Personality Test and ultimately 5 of them have made it to the final list of UPSC CSE 2024,' an official statement from the study centre said. Manoj Pant, IAS, Chief Secretary to the West Bengal government, was present at the felicitation ceremony to meet the candidates. SNTCSSC has tied up with nationally reputed institutes like Shubhra Ranjan IAS and Dhyeya IAS to offer general studies classes and comprehensive mock test series for both general studies and optional subjects. Previously, the centre had collaborated with top academies such as Khan Study Group (KSG) and Shankar IAS Academy (SIA).
News18
24-04-2025
- General
- News18
Not Just IAS, IPS Or IFS: UPSC CSE Opens Doors To 24 All India Services
Many aspirants believe that clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination guarantees a post in the IAS, IPS, or IFS. However, that's not true. While these are the most coveted services, the UPSC CSE actually recruits candidates for 24 different civil services. Here's a look at the various roles filled through this prestigious exam. In the UPSC CSE 2024 results, a total of 1009 candidates were declared successful. This included 335 from the General category, 318 from OBC, 160 from SC, and 109 from EWS category. The recruitment announcement listed 180 IAS vacancies, divided into 73 for General, 24 for SC, 13 for ST, 52 for OBC, and 18 for EWS. Additionally, there were approximately 147 posts for IPS and about 55 for IFS. Other services such as IRS, IRTS, IAAS, ICFS, IRAS, IRPS, ITS, ICLS, IDAS, IIS, IDES, and IFoS also have vacancies.
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
UPSC CSE 2024 Toppers: After failing in his first attempt, Delhi's Aakash Garg bags AIR 5
–Vikas Sharma UPSC CSE 2024 Results: While he failed to crack the civil services exam prelims in his first attempt, Delhi 's Aakash Garg has shown an example of determination by not just qualifying UPSC CSE 2024 but also grabbing an All India Rank (AIR) 5. Graduated in 2022 in Computer Science Engineering, Aakash has been preparing for the exam since then. He opted for Sociology as an optional subject for UPSC prelims and focused on static portion, current affairs, and read newspapers regularly. 'For CSE prelims, I solved as many mock questions as possible, including CSAT. I focused on answer writing and covering my optional subject well for the UPSC Mains followed by rigorous CA assessment for the final stage,' said Aakash. Garg used standard UPSC books like NCERT, Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth, Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania, Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu, Geography of India by Majid Husain, among others. These basic books, along with reading daily newspapers and test papers, helped the 24-year-old to crack the exam. Being a morning person, Garg used to study 6-7 hours daily and work on completing daily targets. He used to spend evenings binge-watching or engaging with his friends. In his preparation, he also used artificial intelligence in later stages of the exam to refine and structure answers and get new perspectives especially for CSE Mains essay, however, he had to fact check the claims made by AI models as information shared was sometimes incorrect. When asked how his skills and knowledge of computer science engineering will help in development of the area he want to serve, he said, 'It will help in giving him a perspective regarding emerging role of technology like data driven decision making, simulations etc.' Further, he shared some tips for UPSC aspirants who will appear for UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 on May 25. Observing that the difficulty level of the exam has been increasing, he advised aspirants to solve questions to find weak spots and avoid committing silly mistakes. He also emphasised to take CSAT seriously.
India.com
23-04-2025
- General
- India.com
UPSC CSE 2024 toppers: Who are Shakti Dubey, Harshita Goyal, Dongre Archit Parag? Here's what they did before becoming UPSC civil services exam toppers
UPSC CSE 2024 toppers: Who are Shakti Dubey, Harshita Goyal, Dongre Archit Parag? Here's what they did before becoming UPSC civil services exam toppers The UPSC Civil Services Exam is known for being one of the toughest in the country, a test not just of knowledge, but of patience, clarity, and determination. And topping this challenge in her very first attempt is Shakti Dubey, the All India Rank 1 holder for 2024. Hailing from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Shakti comes from a humble, hardworking family. Her father is a police officer, while her mother manages their home. But what made Shakti stand out wasn't privilege or special coaching, it was more than that. Following her schooling, Shakti enrolled in the University of Allahabad, where she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. After completing her undergraduate degree in 2016, she went on to pursue a Master of Science in Biochemistry at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi. There hostel life, late-night discussions, and a vibrant campus culture broadened her horizons. It was there she discovered the value of listening to different opinions, questioning things — all traits that helped her in the UPSC exam. Her optional subject was Political Science and International Relations. After finishing her postgraduation, Shakti briefly took up teaching, although specific details about her teaching assignments are not publicly documented. 2nd Rank – Harshita Goyal Securing All India Rank 2, Harshita Goyal has emerged as a shining example of how diverse experiences can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Born in Haryana and brought up in Vadodara, Gujarat, Harshita's journey beautifully blends two cultural, the grounded ethos of the north and the academic vibrancy of the west. A Chartered Accountant by training, Harshita completed her from MS University of Baroda. But instead of pursuing a typical corporate path, she set her sights on the civil services. Her choice was Political Science and International Relations as her optional subject, far beyond the world of balance sheets and audits. 3rd Rank – Dongre Archit Parag Climbing to AIR 3 is Dongre Archit Parag from Pune, Maharashtra. A graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from VIT Vellore, Archit was working in an IT firm when he decided to quit and chase his UPSC dream full-time. Interestingly, this wasn't his first attempt — he had already cleared the UPSC CSE in 2023 with Rank 153. But ambition and persistence pushed him further. With his eyes firmly set on the top, he returned in 2024 and cracked the Top 3, becoming one of the highest-ranked candidates from Maharashtra this year. His chosen optional subject was Philosophy. From his schooling in Mumbai to his years in Pune, Archit's story speaks volumes about long-term vision and quiet grit. About UPSC The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — by the UPSC to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The civil services (preliminary) examination, 2024, was conducted on June 16 last year. A total of 9,92,599 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 5,83,213 candidates actually appeared in the examination. A total of 14,627 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (main) examination, which was held in September 2024. Out of these, 2,845 candidates qualified for the personality test or interview. Of these, 1,009 candidates (725 men and 284 women) have been recommended by the commission for appointment to various Services.
